Threats and Warnings
by Meglin
Summary: After the horror of what Sebastian did to Blaine, Kurt needs to meet with the other boy, if only to scream his feelings. Sebastian, however, has a way of turning the tables.
1. Chapter 1

"Do you even understand what you did to him?" Kurt doesn't even care that he is crying. He's been so angry for so many hours that the fact that tears are running down his face in front of Sebastian, of all people, doesn't even enter his mind. "Does it even make it into your sex-crazed meerkat brain that you just blinded Blaine? That the boy you claim to love might lose his eye because of you?"

"Love? When did I ever say anything that would make you think I believe in love?" Sebastian is sitting, calm and collected on the floor of the parking garage. He is leaning back against the cement post as if this whole thing is normal, as if he does this all the time. He barely even blinks as he takes in the screaming boy in front of him. "And if you hadn't had your _boyfriend_," he spits the word boyfriend, like it is the worst insult he can think of, "protect your honour, he'd be fine. Besides, I've moved on."

"Did it ever cross your miniscule mind that you were lucky it was Blaine instead of me?" His voice is calmer now, returning to its normal pitch, tears still shimmering on his cheeks.

Kurt had thought it was fitting that this meeting happen in the same place as Blaine's injury; it added a certain symmetry to the entire situation. The fact that he's worrying about the narrative weight of it all, in light of what happened, makes him worry that Rachel is having an effect on him.

"Why, because Blaine isn't afraid to throw a punch?" Sebastian's retort is easy, flowing as if trading barbs in a dirty garage is a normal way to spend a Friday night. That quality speaks to Kurt's nerves, setting his spine on end.

"Blinding the son of a congressman while in Dalton uniform, I'm sure the media would love that." Kurt starts walking, pacing back in forth across the spot where Blaine had fallen. "Shouldn't even chipmunks with powerful fathers have some sense of self-preservation?" He smirks a little and raises an eyebrow, trying to beat Sebastian at this imagined game.

"Funny that you think anyone will ever think I actually tried to hurt _you_, let alone Blaine." Sebastian's voice is ice as replies, his blue eyes following Kurt's feet as they slap against the concrete.

"You think anything about this is funny?" Kurt can't stop himself from blurting, rage twisting his face.

"Everything about this situation is funny, from my side." A smirk traces its way across Sebastian's face. "It's hilarious that you believed I'd bother putting salt in a slushie. It's positively ludicrous that you think I'd admit to it afterwards. But mostly, it's just comical that you think that this is still about Blaine." The smirk is gone, replaced by an obnoxious grin.

"What else could it possibly be about, you idiot? You put him in the hospital!" Kurt is back to screaming. His voice, higher than normal, screeching across the parking garage.

"Incidental." Sebastian's grin is, if anything, enhanced by Kurt's screaming. "It's a pity though, he was pretty. I would have enjoyed fucking him. But you got in the way of that, you needed to pay." He shrugs a little, like his words, that entire attitude, should be obvious, like Kurt should already know how this is his fault.

"M-me?" Kurt manages to squeak, eyes wide and mouth falling open. His feet still in their spot, exactly where he had been standing as the slushie had been thrown. He stays like that for a moment before rage overcomes him. "What the hell? In what world does my boyfriend rejecting you mean you get to gouge out my eyes?

"You look pretty with your mouth open like that. Makes me wonder if you can do something other than spew nonsense and sing badly." Sebastian doesn't respond to Kurt's question, bringing it back to him and, as always, to sex. "Angry isn't bad either. And I can never say no to hate sex." Sebastian gets to his feet leisurely, the grin never leaving his face.

"You're revolting." In a normal world the tone of those words, and the shudder that accompanies them, would have done something to Sebastian, made him recoil, put the tone of the meeting back where Kurt wanted it.

"Revolting?" A harsh laugh escaped Sebastian's lips at the thought. "Your boyfriend didn't think so, when we first met. It was cute, how flustered he got with his schoolboy act. And all your Warbler friends are quite enamoured with me. And face it; you obviously see something in me, if you're here." As he speaks Sebastian takes a few steps forward, placing him close enough to reach out and lightly touch the expensive fabric of Kurt's vest. Unconsciously, Kurt steps back, retreating from Sebastian's suddenly menacing figure.

"Blaine rejected you, and whatever charm you think there is in being a sleazebag, there is nothing that you can offer him that I haven't already got covered. And where the fuck would you get the idea that I have anything but scorn for you? I just want you to get the hell out of my life." Throughout Kurt's entire speech they continue their dance, Sebastian slowly advancing as Kurt moves steadily back, putting as much distance between them as he can.

"Did he tell you that _he_ invited _me_ for coffee at the Lima Bean, Kurt? Because that is hardly the heart rending rejection that you claim it is." Kurt takes the final step back, his heel gently bumping the wall.

"You mean the coffee that ended in you drugging him in a gay bar?" It is now Kurt's turn to harshly laugh. His heart is thumping in his chest now that he has no room left to retreat.

"I didn't drug him; I don't need to resort to that." Despite the statement Sebastian does not look any more innocent.

"So there is a point that's too low, even for you? Assault is fine, but you'd never _drug_ a man." Kurt can't keep the condescension out of his voice.

"Funny, Kurt." For the first time during their conversation Sebastian looks like an actual threat, anger evident on his face. "But no, I meant the one that ended in a warning. There was a reason the slushie was red, Kurt." Sebastian is still advancing, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper.

"I-Is that a threat?" Kurt splutters, aware, not for the first time, of how much taller than him Sebastian is. And of the muscles that lacrosse crafted on his body. "You started this conversation by talking about how that wasn't your goal." Kurt raises an eyebrow, trying to retain some control over the meeting he had called.

"Was I not being clear?" Sebastian is inches away from Kurt by this point; his feet carefully planted in front of Kurt's as he places his arms on either side of Kurt's shoulders, effectively trapping the smaller boy. "The slushie was a warning, this is a threat." He speaks slowly, almost as if he's speaking to a very young child.

"What happened to your boyfriend will look like a joke if you ever cross me again." All of the humour is gone from Sebastian's face now, a terrifying scowl replacing it. "That includes telling anyone about anything that happened at this meeting, Kurt." With that last syllable Sebastian leans in the last few inches and crushes his lips into Kurt's, forcing his tongue into his mouth. He stays there for a second, feeling Kurt tense in fear before sweeping away, letting Kurt collapse to the ground in privacy, tears streaming down his face.

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><p>AN: This is something of a reaction to Michael. More of a fanwank because Kurt's character was so royally fucked up, that I need to do something to make it make sense. So there's this. This is pretty much my worst headcanon of how Sebastian could behave, I have another in which he's nicer, but that's less fun. So this happened.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Kurt spends the next hour sitting in the garage, a silent stream of tears tracking their way down his cheeks. Everything Karofsky had ever done to him had come flooding back in the ten seconds Sebastian had taken to kiss him. All of that and more, because where Karofsky had been angry, scared, and confused by turns, Sebastian was calm, the cruel torture of the entire thing carefully calculated in his mind.

Shudders wrack Kurt's body again as he rests against the wall, not even caring about the damage that his clothes are enduring. His heart twists briefly when the phone in his pocket vibrates. It's probably Blaine, or his father wondering about his dinner plans.

He pulls it out and opens the message without looking to stop the phone from beeping. He considers reading it for a second before realizing that it makes no difference who it's from, there is no one in the world who can erase this. No one who can make him feel better.

He sits like that for another hour, phone clutched loosely in one hand, head tilted back, tears still streaming gently. His mind is blank as he stares, looking up at the ceiling as it swims in and out of focus.

It takes three missed calls before he snaps out of the spiralling thoughts and answers his phone. He does it unthinkingly, sure that it will be his dad, calling to see why he isn't replying, or Blaine, telling yet another riveting tale of what pain medication can make you see. He doesn't even pause, now that he's free from the trance he'd been sitting in.

Answering the phone, showing the world that he's ok, is the first step in moving past this. He can't change this thing that happened now, but he can stop it from ruining his life. Again.

The voice on the other end of the telephone is unmistakeable, even with the tinny sound of a bad cell-phone connection and the vague echo of the garage around him marring it.

"I meant it, do not say a word. Especially not to that pretty boyfriend of yours. Not a word crosses those gay lips or I will find you."

Sebastian hangs up as soon as he's done speaking and Kurt shudders again, a last wave of disgust wracking his frame. He has to fight to control the rolling of his stomach.

It takes another moment, and several deep breaths, before he's steady enough to even contemplate looking through the messages on his phone.

The missed calls he ignores, all of them come from the same unknown number. He scrolls through the texts and sure enough there's one each from Carole and his dad asking about his dinner plans. The third and fifth messages are from Finn, who had managed to get himself stuck in the middle of nowhere with Puck. The fourth, caught between moments of Finn's stupidity, causes him to pause, a spasm of terror running down his spine.

**Blaine: Mom has finally decided I am not dying, think we can appreciate the empty house? ;)**

Not now, not after this.

**Kurt: I hardly think that me sleeping over is what the doctor meant by bed rest, Blaine.**

He types out the reply quickly, so sure of what his normal self would say. After a deep breath and a moment spent reaffirming that he can handle this alone he hits send. He only has to wait a moment before the reassuring buzz of Blaine's oblivious reply pulses through his phone.

**Blaine: You are no fun Dr Hummel :(**

Under normal circumstances Kurt would have smiled and flirted back. But that feels wrong, like it would somehow taint Blaine too. And that would, in turn only increase the hold that Sebastian had on him. So he slips the phone into his pocket and knocks his head against the wall a final time, filling his lungs before getting to his feet and walking over to his car.

He takes a few minutes, once he's inside to scream and punch the steering wheel, the shuddering fear that had held him captive replaced with mind-numbing rage. That too passes though, and he is left in a hazy cloud, rage and fear and sadness swimming on the edge of his thoughts.

* * *

><p>Sebastian drives away, hours earlier, a single word drowning out any attempt at thought. Shit.<p>

* * *

><p>It's almost a relief that Blaine is gone from school that week. The rest of New Directions are so wrapped up in themselves and their own drama that they just assume that everything is perfect in everyone else's lives. Unless, of course, it is painfully obvious that everything is wrong, or they can exploit the problem. Then they drag everything out, throwing songs around as if that's all it takes.<p>

Before, when it had been Karofsky, it had bothered him. They hadn't been aware enough of anything in his life to realize how bad things were, how much he was dreading every moment he spent at school. Even Mercedes had managed to gloss over it, somehow. Now though, their complete lack of awareness is almost a relief, he doesn't want them to know anything.

In his head, Kurt can predict the reactions of his fellow choir members, if they were to ever find out:

Rachel, he's certain, would tell Blaine in an instant, not out of any particular loyalty to either of them, but because that is what is expected. Mike and even Sam or Artie would tell too, though for much more human reasons.

Brittany would probably just make some idiotic comment and move on; kissing someone is not a big deal in her world. Mercedes and Quinn would be on him, comforting him with well meant religion, or a tub of ice cream if that failed. Tina would sigh quietly, hug him and then let him deal with it, personal space recognized and accepted. She'd also probably mention it to Mike undoing all the good her silence had done.

The other three would, in one way or another take it into their own hands. Santana would come up with increasingly clever schemes to torment the boy, slowly driving him out of his mind, while Finn and Puck would just get it into their heads to physically beat Sebastian. A thought that was almost comforting, Sebastian, hurt like Blaine was. That fantasy only lasted as long as you ignored his father's power.

Not that it mattered what any of them would do. That wasn't important. The only important thing was that he keep it from them until he could just forget.

Then life could be normal again.

* * *

><p>So, I meant to actually finishedit this a while ago. Then getting tumblr and midterms and stuff combined to make me unable to write annnnnnnnnnnnything. So this chapter is short. But then the break just sort of felt necessary there. This whole thing is going to end up following Canon pretty closely with extra/elongated scenes forming the basis of the rest of it.


	3. Chapter 3

A sleepover with Rachel Berry is an experience. It is not something to be entered into lightly, nor is it something that you can commit to without being completely prepared to spend an entire evening divulging your every secret (and listening to Rachel twist your words to make it about her). Kurt had come to accept that over the year and a half that they had been friends and the countless sleepovers she had imposed upon him in that time. Which played a huge role in why he had been dreading this one.

Ordinarily, he spent Saturdays, or the parts he could negotiate with his father, at Blaine's, the hours running away as they lay wrapped around each other. But with Blaine's injury, and the worried hovering that it had brought out in his mother, that had been taken firmly off the table.

This alternate plan, a night alone with Rachel and Mercedes, was almost a guarantee that he would let something slip. There was no way, in a setting _that_ devoid of people willing to worship her, that Rachel would not flounder around for something wrong with him to leap on, if only as a way to segue into a performance about her life.

That tendency was the reason why it had come as a complete and utter shock to him, when a subdued Rachel and Mercedes had opened the door, already in pyjamas, to let him into the house. They'd chattered inanely about university plans for half an hour before Rachel had rushed off to get snacks, muttering about how they had plans to watch Twilight.

Kurt had accepted it at first, movie watching was exactly what he needed. He could watch without worrying about, slipping and letting it show; there was no chance them finding out. And he was never, not even with Sebastian on his mind, opposed to a view of a shirtless Taylor Lautner.

"How's a girl with no ass supposed to choose between the juiced up wolf and the depressed vampire? She's into both of them." Mercedes unexcited drawl halfway through the movie, so different from the manic clamouring that normally ensues, jolts Kurt back to reality, distracting him from the swirling vortex his mind had become.

"Oh Come on Mercedes, she just knows." Rachel's voice is almost as flat, which is rare enough to make him take note, forcing him to consider for the first time that night that perhaps things were not alright in their lives either.

"What if they both make her feel amazing in different ways?" Mercedes shoots back, obviously referencing something, he's a little saddened by the realization that he has no idea.

"No, you don't get to choose when it comes to true love, true love chooses you. And you'd better be certain when it comes to marriage because marriage is a promise and it lasts for forever." Rachel's reply is as emphatic, obviously the timeline on her relationship with Finn is no longer something she's considering. Kurt does not, however, want to talk about love. This week has been a mess of guilt and fear. He's been completely ignoring Blaine and he does not want them to know any of it.

"Ladies, I appreciate you spending time with me while Blaine recovers, but why are you being so weird and serious. Our periods don't come until the end of the month." The sarcasm is his best method of deflection, brevity and a joke hopefully enough to lead them away from the subject.

Rachel, it appears, has other intentions. She shifts to the end of the bed, pausing the movie despite his half-hearted attempt at a protest.

"Can you guys keep a secret?" Suddenly Rachel is happy, excited even. She gently reaches to touch the gold chain around her neck, the one that holds the gold star Finn had given her last Valentine's Day. Ever so slowly she pulls up a ring. Kurt's mouth drops.

"Rachel, what the hell is that?" Mercedes reaction is similar, shock colouring her language.

"It's an engagement ring." She says it like she's proud, like she's certain that they will be just as happy about it.

"Shut up." Kurt can't stop himself from shouting at her. This is ridiculous.

"Finn proposed." Rachel says simply before a grin spreads across her face.

"And _what_ did you say?" Mercedes is, understandably, unimpressed.

"I said yes." She's still smiling; the grin is huge, taking over her entire face now.

"Rachel, have you lost your damn mind?" Kurt is glad Mercedes said it. He is not sure he'd have been quite so tactful; there would certainly have been more expletives.

"I love Finn. I really, really love him." Rachel's justifying now, the smile slowly slipping away.

"But what about NYADA?" There is food in his mouth and he's scrunching up his face in a way that will definitely increase the length of his skincare regiment but Kurt cannot bring himself to care. Rachel's wardrobe insanity is obviously bleeding into the rest of her life.

"It's still gonna happen. I have dreams for a huge life for myself, some of which include a little bit of struggle until I can make all of my dreams come true. They'll be great anecdotes for Jimmy Kimmel, I'll call them my top Ramen weeks. But in every single one of my dreams, ok, struggling or not, there he is. Finn." Rachel pauses for a second, a small smile reinstating itself on her face before she continues. "Look, I know that I am going to be with Finn for the rest of my life just as much as I know that I am going to be a huge star one day." Kurt looks away, almost unable to believe that the Rachel he's known for so long would consider tying herself to someone like his step-brother.

"So you promise not to tell anyone?" She looks at him hopefully, Mercedes' acceptance of this condition a foregone conclusion. He shakes his head, clearing it of any last traces of Sebastian related thoughts before continuing.

"Ok, I'm going home right now to yell at Finn because this is insane." Kurt moves to get off the bed, held back only by Rachel's arm. He's absolutely sincere in his desire to scream at Finn, because as dumb as his step-brother often is, this is possibly _the _stupidest thing he has ever done.

"That's not fair Kurt; I mean, what would you do if Blaine proposed to you today?" Rachel's response, obviously calculated for maximum effect, catches him off guard. He considers saying that he'd always imagined he'd be the one proposing (someday, once they are both long graduated), but decides that he'll settle for an uncomfortable silence. Rachel does not need to know the intricate details of his relationship. It is obvious, a second later, that his plan backfired, as Rachel continues talking.

"So, will you please keep my secret?" Her voice is pleading, almost childlike.

"Aren't you scared you're making the wrong choice?" Mercedes sounds reasonable, as if outright arguments will only spook Rachel into doing this faster.

"Look, I know I have the right person, the scary part was just choosing to know it." Rachel sounds, to Kurt, almost as if she's convincing herself as much as them and he can't help but be a little happy about that.

He considers leaving still, faking a headache or a call from his father, in order to get all of his screaming out of the way while it's fresh in his mind. But he weighs the likelihood of success against the chaos of Finn's Saturday night COD tournament (complete with sitting in his underwear and too much pizza) and sighs, settling back in for the rest of the Twilight marathon.

* * *

><p>Dalton's exceptional weekend parties continue, Sebastian attends, his behaviour impeccable, not a hair out of place. Not one thing about his behaviour indicates to any of his classmates that inside, his mind is writhing.<p>

* * *

><p>The utter stupidity of Finn and Rachel's upcoming nuptials has one upside, for Kurt. It finally gives him something, besides the feeling of Sebastian's tongue forcing its way into his mouth, to think about. He spends the entire weekend thinking of the perfect way to convince Finn that he is making a mistake, carefully planning out arguments in his head. He talks to Ms Pillsbury, obtains brochures for colleges in New York, and rewrites his perfectly worded speech.<p>

When the speech fails, he tells his father about the engagement. He thinks about keeping it a secret, about saying nothing, about letting them ruin their lives, slightly bitter that they have that choice. Eventually the realization strikes him that he'll be there, from both ends, when the marriage falls to bits. He'll be the one caught in the middle, unable to choose sides.

So, he mentions it casually while he's helping out in the shop, lets it slip in as he's asking for a wrench. He just lets the matter fly away, spiral out of his control and into the hands of his capable father.

It's only then, once the pressing worry of his step-brother's impending wedding to his best friend is gone, that Kurt's mind quiets. The ridiculous plots he had come up with slowly slip away, leaving nothing to take his mind off reality and the fact that Sebastian had, in fact, kissed him.

* * *

><p>Sebastian's school work stays perfect, he attends lacrosse practice religiously and no one, not even Thad, can criticize his steps in Warbler practice.<p>

* * *

><p>It's the first note that gives him the idea. The romance behind Blaine's gesture, pretending to be a "secret" admirer, complete with someone else's handwriting, inspires Kurt to think back to his former self. The uninformed "baby-penguin" part of him could forget about it all, he's certain. He could go back to the self that thinks of the touch of fingertips, nothing more, imprison himself there and just forget.<p>

He's once again relieved that Blaine is gone from school, because the illusion of a Broadway romance would never last with a real (and undeniably gorgeous) boyfriend there in the flesh. That relief is not, however, without its drawbacks. He's left with a deep seated guilty feeling and more tears than he would care to admit.

Before the note, and his brilliant coping mechanism, the intense build up to Valentine's Day and the kissing that it brought to every corner of McKinley had been enough to turn Kurt into a shrivelling mess. He'd jumped every time he'd seen a couple lock lips. The whirring of his brain jolting back to what had happened.

Finn had given him the weirdest look when he'd caught it, but must have, after a slow moment of thought, attributed it to the lack of Blaine, because he'd just shrugged before turning back to Rachel. Kurt had smiled, bitter thoughts surfacing, no matter how little he'd wanted to talk about this; it still would have been nice to see Finn think about something other than Rachel's lips.

When Valentine's day itself actually arrives, Kurt is a ball of nerves, Blaine's notes over the week have less than subtly hinted that tonight is something important. Considering the limited information that the notes had given him and all the firsts that they've already crossed of their list, Kurt can only assume that that means that Blaine is off bed rest and back to normal, something that leaves him with mixed feelings at best.

He shows up to Breadstix early, as instructed, nerves and guilt bubbling to the surface and making him pace. When the waitress informs him of Sugar's party he considers leaving, hiding until he can see Blaine in the light of the party, with everyone else around them, as a buffer. It's cowardly and mean and would leave him rolling in guilt for months, but then at least he'd have a chance at maybe avoiding actually kissing Blaine.

He turns when the waitress points to the door, a little shocked to see the gorilla gram guy. His mind floods with relief for a second; this guy is way too tall to be Blaine. He seizes up when he's handed the card, fear coursing through his veins, what if Blaine wants him to slip away quietly? The fear, too, vanishes a second later when he reads the card, confusion taking its place in an instant

"Wait, you think you love me?" He's trying to process all the possible options, trying to puzzle out why Blaine would send him something worded like that. It doesn't even cross his mind that it could be someone else.

Until the gorilla mask comes off and all of a sudden he's thrown back to last year.

"Karofsky." He whispers in shock.

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><p>Sebastian spends Valentine's Day at a fancy dinner with his parents, the decor immaculate and the food exquisite. He's just there to add to the atmosphere, another pretty face among the sea. He's glad though, the perfect manners he needs to exude stop him from thinking.<p>

* * *

><p>It's longer(ish)! And I feel all guilty because it's Klaine week and I am having Kurtbastian shipper feelings (which is weirding me out because I have shipped all of one thing in my whole life of fandom, not even joking, and it was completely unrequited and one-sided). And life is just like, let's have an orgy of exams, and throw it in Klaine week. Harrumph.<p>

Drop me a review to let me know what you think! It'll probably make me deprive myself of sleep and write the next chapter. You know you want that!


	4. Chapter 4

They stand for several long moments, just staring at each other. Karofsky's mouth is turned up into a sheepish grin, hope scrawled across his face, but Kurt doesn't see any of it. He's studiously looking anywhere but Karofsky's mouth, trying not to remember what it feels like to have lips pressed harshly against his, avoiding imagining the intrusion of a tongue. He feels the rock of nausea anyway, his stomach curling in on itself the same way that it had that day, and again with Sebastian.

"Find a table I'll be back in a second." Kurt chokes out the words before he rushes to the bathroom, tears marking hot tracks down his face. He barely makes it into the stall before his stomach heaves again and his body is emptying itself. He stays like that for several long minutes, arms bracing himself, sobs wracking his body, and tears streaming, before he shudders a final time, stomach empty and tears stuttering to a halt.

He stands and looks in the mirror, readying himself for the conversation ahead. He considers his words, thinking of how to keep this from being too harsh, as he carefully puts his appearance back together.

He's shocked when he realizes how little of what his body is feeling is directed at Karofsky. None of the fear or anger that he had buried at the back of his mind remains. The old hostility that he'd been carrying around is gone. All he feels is a distant numbness and a desire to just deal with the situation. It is an unsettling shift, like his body has purged the last of its hatred and is ready to concentrate on just dealing with Karofsky.

He leaves the bathroom, looking perfectly put together, a minute later. Months of impromptu make-out sessions with Blaine had given him the ability to make himself presentable impossibly quickly.

Kurt makes his way back to the tables, dropping heavily into the seat across from Karofsky. The violent physical reaction is gone and he's left feeling empty. He stares across the table for a moment, unsure of what to say before he opens his mouth to speak. Not to yell or to cry or to scream, just to talk, because as much as Karofsky had tortured him, he had apologized and he had honestly tried to make things better.

And he was missing the sense of malice that Sebastian emanated.

"So you tormented me, shoved me into lockers, called me horrible names and hate kissed me. Now after one conversation in a bar you want us to be together?" Kurt deliberately leaves out the death threat. They'd discussed that at length on the long walks between classes in the spring. He wasn't ignoring it, not really, but it was old ground.

"When I was at McKinley, I hated who I was, I took that out on you because there you were…so proud. I've wanted to call you since that night at scandals. It's taken me a while but for the first time in my life I'm trying to be honest about what I feel." Karofsky reaches across the table, gently placing his hand on top of Kurt's. It is the first time that they have touched that isn't Karofsky shoving him, or threatening him in some way. Kurt almost thinks he should be freaking out; this should be so much worse than a hopeful smile by the door. But it isn't, he's just calm, numbness overcoming him.

"And I'm flattered, I really am, but David, you just think that you love me, you don't really love me." Kurt pulls his hand away slowly, surprised at how simple it is. He doesn't jolt away, afraid of the contact, or feel the need to let his hand linger, they are just no longer touching. And it doesn't even feel any different.

"You've helped me so much Kurt, you don't know. I haven't come out at school yet, but maybe I will next year." Karofsky's voice is pleading, like he senses the inevitable.

"David look, I am so proud of you for coming so far. And I want you to be happy," Kurt pauses, drawing a deep breath before continuing, "and you will be happy, but I'm with Blaine. And I like you, but just as friends." He lets out the breath shakily, there he's said it. Left enough of a tie to soften the blow, but things are well and truly severed.

"I should go." Suddenly Karofsky is standing up, his whole posture reeling with hurt and pain.

"Wait, no, you don't have to go." Kurt means it when he says it. Pushing Karofsky away is not going to make things with Sebastian any better.

"I hope you like the candies," Karofsky's voice is bitter as he turns to face Kurt again for a second, "the butterscotch ones are my favourite." He starts towards the door before recoiling in shock when he sees the other diners.

"Hey Karofsky." Kurt takes a moment to place the speaker. It's a boy, about their age, attractive, blond, and built like a football player. Or, in Kurt's experience: trouble.

"Nick." Karofsky's tone as he acknowledges the boy only confirms Kurt's thoughts.

"You guys hanging out for Valentine's Day?" The smug smirk on the jock's face is one that Kurt knows far better than he'd like. It causes a tinge of fear to fly through his body, even through the growing cloud of numbness.

"No, no we just used to go to the same school. We just bumped into each other." He's protecting Karofsky before he can think.

"That's exactly what it looked like." The drawl is amused, betraying how aware Nick is of how much power he holds here. The smile still rests on his lips.

"I'm gonna go." Karofsky's voice is terrified, broken in a way that Kurt has never heard before.

"David." He calls out, numbness slipping away, replaced with tight clenched fear and familiar rage at the stupidity of Lima, Ohio.

"I'll talk to you later." The words are thrown back as Karofsky slams his way through the door, escaping, for the moment, the possibilities of what Nick could do.

* * *

><p>Sebastian doesn't go home, when the dinner is over, he gets his driver to take him to Scandals, the familiarity of the location as much a comfort as the writhing male bodies.<p>

* * *

><p>The aftermath of seeing Karofsky again was not<p>

what Kurt was expecting it to be. He'd expected to spend the party sitting across from Blaine, studiously not kissing both because of Sebastian and because there were people there. He'd expected to down mouthfuls of whatever awful, cheap alcohol Puck had managed to procure for the night in order to get through it because once he'd kissed Blaine once, obviously everything would be ok.

Instead he spends half of the night sitting a table by himself barely touching a drink. He's waiting for the call from Karofsky, his voice filled with bluster or tears, begging or threatening him to stick to the story about running into each other. Not that he has any reason to deny it, he'd honestly be perfectly happy if he never saw Karofsky again.

He's also waiting for the breakdown of Finn and Rachel's relationship, either with a tearful phone call or the sound of a Rachel Berry scream echoing across the town. But that doesn't come either, so Kurt is left to sullenly contemplate the cheesecake in front of him, hating his classmates for being so _happy._

The arrival of Finn and Rachel does little to improve his mood. Nor does the obnoxious press of a microphone as Rachel insists that he absolutely must be prepared to sing, regardless of what Sugar has told him of the plans.

He suffers the God Squad's _touching_ serenade in silence, managing to mostly contain the shudder that wracks his body at the kiss that Brittany and Santana share at its close. He doesn't notice, but Finn sees the subtle shake of his shoulders and the way his head snaps back, filing it away to be questioned later, over milk and in the safety of their house.

When Sugar takes the stage right before the final number of the night, Kurt barely takes any notice. She's made half a dozen speeches by this point, mostly about herself and her life as the daughter of a rich (and not criminally-minded) man. The word compact catches his attention, however, because other than Rachel the only person who _Sugar_ would describe like that is Blaine. He's startled for a second before he dismisses that idea, not prepared to be surprised for a second time that night.

When Blaine, and of course it's Blaine, that short and with that hat, turns around Kurt can feel his heart beat accelerate, and not the way that he normally associates with Blaine. His mouth falls open with shock and he's left just sitting there for a second, completely unable to process what this night has thrown at him. Then the music starts and suddenly Kurt knows what Rachel's plan is. He and Blaine and Mercedes have traded off on the vocals of Love Shack a thousand times, he's pretty sure that they could do it in their sleep by this point.

He doesn't consciously decide to smile; it just slips across his face, because planning this is so perfectly Blaine. The second Mercedes chimes in he's lost it, the performer inside him switches on and Kurt is gone. He's Blaine's boyfriend, he's the entertainment, he's even a little bit Fred Schneider, but for the length of that song he is not Kurt Hummel and he certainly has never been kissed by Sebastian.

For the length of Love Shack Kurt is free to flirt and sing and be happy, but eventually the song ends and he is flung back to reality by the feeling of Blaine's arms wrapped around him.

"I have missed you _so_ much." Blaine's lips are in his hair, his voice low, meant only for Kurt's ears. "I have stories to tell you about the sex dreams that pain-killers can give." He loosens his arms and spins Kurt around, leaning in as if to kiss him. Kurt tilts his head forward, pre-emptively resting their foreheads together and avoiding the kiss.

"I missed you too." He whispers back tilting his head just enough to let their noses brush.

"Think we can make up for lost time?" Blaine's voice hitches a little, betraying just how much he wants that.

"M-m-my dad is picking me up." Kurt stutters out the words awkwardly, so aware of what he wishes he could say. The way that Blaine's face falls matches the swell of sadness in his stomach. But it is nowhere near enough to counteract the fear that still shivers through his veins. "He'll know something is up if I try to change it. And there's no way Finn'd be able to keep a sec-."

Kurt's voice is cut off as Blaine presses their lips together hungrily, just for a second. Instinctively Kurt pulls back, shifting himself far enough back that he'll be warned, if Blaine tries to kiss him again.

"Please just try." Blaine's face is half surprise, half pleading as he looks up, long eyelashes fluttering open to reveal his eyes.

"I can't, Blaine. I just can't." Kurt shrugs a little, a sad smile playing across his lips before he pulls away completely, tugging his hand out of Blaine's as he makes his way through the door and out into the chill of the night.

He slumps down on the curb outside Breadstix, tears sliding down his face again. He's only there for a minute before Finn drops down beside him, launching into a speech almost immediately.

"Dude. You did not just have had a fight with Blaine because I totally already called Burt and told him about Mercedes epic melt-down and how you were needed at an emergency sleepover and he totally bought it and if you come home then he'll know something is up." Finn reaches over and awkwardly pats him on the shoulder, obviously still unsure how far their brotherhood extended.

"Y-you what?" Kurt gapes at him for a moment before squeaking a reply. Finn is usually unhappy to even be included in plans that involve lying to Burt, even by omission.

"What. I mean, you haven't seen Blaine in like a month, dude. Obviously you want to spend time with him. Even if you have been all weird at school. And even if you looked like you were going to flip out when Brit kissed Santana. It's Blaine and you obviously think he's awesome. I just thought that you'd, you know, want to see him and stuff." Finn withdraws his hand, his face a deep shade of red.

Kurt is absolutely stunned, floored both by Finn's willingness to plan this out and by the awareness he had never seen in his step-brother.

"Thank you, Finn." Kurt smiles sadly and gets to his feet, wiping the tears that glistened on his cheeks. "Really, thank you. It wasn't a fight exactly." He moves to take a step towards the door before Finn stops him, grabbing loosely on his arm.

"Tell Blaine that, because he looked kind of upset." Kurt felt himself grimace as Finn released his arm and sighed, making his way back inside, the realization that he needed to explain everything to Blaine settling like a weight in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

><p>AN: Oh baby. I have so much headcanon built up around Sebastian that I honestly have no idea how I am going to deal with it when Glee comes back and he is not an integral part of the show and he doesn't fit with what my brain want him to be (which is pretty evil). But I also just want to hug him, despite how awful he can be. Such is my life.<p>

Kurt gets to have some fun conversations with Blaine and Sebastian should be back next time. And my Kurtbastian feels are still running rampant despite the horrid way Sebastian acts in this fic. But as it is no longer Klaine Week I no longer have cause to feel guilt. Yay.


	5. Chapter 5

They suffer the drive to Blaine's house in silence. Kurt trying to think of a way to explain and Blaine trying to figure out why his boyfriend's face is tear-stained.

When they finally arrive Blaine scrambles to open the door, key sliding against the lock. Kurt's reaction to his kiss had already told him that this night was not going to go according to his plan, but the tears that were still gently flowing were worrying him more and more. Once inside he looked at Kurt for direction, unsure as to how to proceed.

"C-can we go upstairs?" Kurt's voice is surprisingly steady for the amount of crying he's been doing, but he can't keep the slight stutter from making an appearance.

"Of course, Kurt." Blaine wants to reach out and wrap his arms around his boyfriend, but sense that that might not have the desired effect. He settles for lightly brushing his fingers against Kurt's elbow, relief coursing through his veins when he doesn't immediately jerk away.

Kurt sets off up the stairs, the route to Blaine's room as familiar as his own house, by now. The second he reaches Blaine's room he falls across the bed, wrapping himself in the blanket that smells so strongly of Blaine and just breathing for a moment. He lays like that for a second before sobs wrack his body as the tears return full force.

Blaine can only watch in horror, so out of the loop that it physically hurts him. He sits lightly on the edge of the bed, hand hovering above Kurt's knee, unsure of how to proceed.

"Kurt," His voice is low, cautious, "do you want me to do something? I can get you water, anything. Or I can listen, if you want to talk." Internally he's pleading because he hasn't seen Kurt this upset since the year before, since everything that went down with Karofsky and his dad. Suddenly panic ripples through him.

"Kurt, this isn't about Karofsky is it?" He says it as much for his own reassurance as anything. Kurt just lets out another sob.

"No." He chokes out between breaths, a nervous giggle forcing its way out in between the sobs. "This is definitely not his fault." Kurt takes a few deep breaths, calming himself enough to continue. "Blaine," his voice is nervous again, soft and breathy and full of so much need that it breaks Blaine's heart. "Can you just hold me?" He lets out a final sob as Blaine carefully lies down beside him, arms wrapping around his waist in a practiced motion, pulling Kurt to him so that his head is on Blaine's chest and Blaine can bury his lips in Kurt's hair.

"Of course." He whispers squeezing just a little, content to wait until Kurt is calm enough to talk.

They lie in bed like that for hours, Blaine's arms wrapped around Kurt's waist, his lips soft against his hair. Neither one of them wants speak, because that means ending the moment. It means ending the peace and warmth of the embrace and it means explaining why Kurt has sobbed for so long.

Eventually Blaine pulls away rolling off the bed to rattle around the room in search of pyjamas. He tosses Kurt's pyjamas, the ones he had worn all week when he was hurt and desperate for the smell of him, on the bed before gently easing out of his suit. He throws on a pair of sweatpants before flopping gently on the bed.

"Kurt." His voice is quiet but insistent, "It's late and I know you'll regret it tomorrow if you sleep in that suit, think of all the wrinkles." Kurt lets out a stifled giggle at the idea. "Up." Blaine taps lightly on Kurt's ankle, persuading him to sit up. Gently, he undoes the buttons of Kurt's vest and helps him out of it, draping it over the back of his desk chair. He then take Kurt's shirt and does the same, careful to make sure that they will both be unwrinkled come morning.

When he turns back, Kurt is already buttoning up the front of the pyjama shirt eyes following Blaine's movements as he walks back to the bed. Blaine leans down and carefully undoes the button of Kurt's pants almost painfully aware of how different this is from the hurried fumbling that normally characterizes their cloths coming off.

Kurt lifts his hips to make it easier for Blaine to pull off his trousers, his breath hitching for a moment. They've never been like this before. They've never been so open without scrabbling fingers and hurried kisses and frantic pleas for more and Kurt _wants_ that. It scares him how much he wants that, still, and how much he doesn't. He's terrified of the press of lips, even as his body is screaming out for more.

Kurt quickly pulls the familiar silk pyjama pants up over his hips while Blaine is tucking his trousers away with the rest of his outfit. He slips under the covers just as quickly, sparing Blaine the sight of how far his out of touch his mind and traitorous body are.

Blaine doesn't seem to notice, he just flips off the light and then pads back to the bed and slides beside Kurt his arm snaking around to rest lightly over the other boy's shoulders. He lets it just sit there for a second before he pulls Kurt into a tight hug. Kurt lets his head rest against Blaine's bare chest, calmed by the sound of his heart beat. They sit like that for a moment before Kurt breaks the silence.

"Blaine, can we just sleep? I promise I'll tell you in the morning, b-but right now I'm just so _tired_." Kurt's voice betrays the truth of his words, he's exhausted, he hasn't slept well since _before_ and the feeling of Blaine against him makes him feel safer than he has in weeks. "Please?" He pleads one last time, snuggling into Blaine as he says it.

"Kurt, of course. I want to do this at your speed; I want you to be comfortable. I don't want to force you." Blaine echoes how he'd spoken about sex before that became a very real part of their lives. He drops his head down, nuzzling his nose through Kurt's hair before planting a kiss gently on his temple. Kurt doesn't flinch away this time just sighs slightly before sliding down in the bed and drifting off to sleep.

Blaine stays awake for a while after that, concern creasing his face as he watches the gentle rise and fall of his boyfriend's chest.

* * *

><p>Sebastian ends up in a motel, his night ending in sweaty heat and rocking bodies, muffled moans and a chorus of wrong names screamed out. He leaves the second the other man is asleep, lingering has never been his strong suit.<p>

* * *

><p>Kurt wakes up first the next morning. He wakes up to Blaine's arms wrapped tightly around his waist and Blaine's half-hard cock pressed against his ass. Any other morning and he'd wriggle out of Blaine's hold and start the process that breakfast has become since Cooper returned from traipsing across Europe. He'd start making pancakes, banana, for bribing Cooper, and regular for him and Blaine.<p>

Cooper would spend the entire time hovering, asking questions designed to make Kurt blush and not too subtly reminding him of the first breakfast he'd caught Kurt making. He'd wait patiently for the bribe, before promising to make himself scarce, swearing that he'd stop making them feel uncomfortable, and vowing not to tell anyone else of their activities. He only ever followed through on the last of his promises, but Kurt kept making him pancakes anyways, unwilling to admit that he kind of likes their lazy Sunday mornings.

Today though is different. Today he isn't basking in the afterglow of amazing sex; instead he's shaking slightly with the internal struggle to try to find the perfect way to explain why he can't kiss Blaine without making it into a big deal. Because Blaine has had enough to deal with since the fandango that was Michael Week, he doesn't need to worry about Kurt too.

So Kurt lies there, content to stretch out and wait for Blaine to wake up, his eyes tracing over Blaine's face. Blaine looks younger while he's sleeping, he isn't stressing over Glee or school or _Kurt_, he just looks peaceful. The last time Kurt had seen Blaine asleep was before he'd gone to scream at Sebastian. He'd fallen asleep almost as soon as Finn and Rachel had left, sprawled on top of the comforter. His face had been just as carefree then but it had been marred by the eye-patch, a constant reminder to Kurt of what had happened. Something had snapped then and things had tumbled out of control, leading to him lying here without a clue how to make things better.

Blaine stirs, pulling Kurt closer for a second, almost like he means to kiss him, before his eyes snap open.

"Sorry. I…forgot." Blaine speaks hurriedly before trailing off awkwardly; the realization that he never actually knew what was wrong hitting him as he blinks the sleep from his eyes. Kurt turns to face Blaine, rolling so that their noses are almost touching. He takes a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation that is to come.

"Blaine, after what happened to you I was really angry." Kurt pauses for a moment, unsure of how to continue. Blaine just stares at him, his eyes silently encouraging. "I spent days just planning how I could hurt Sebastian. How he could suffer for what he did. And then Santana had a tape of him confessing, but that was all a lie and I gave it back to him anyways because I couldn't think straight and I wanted beating him to be at something that matters, and his dad would just get him out of trouble-" Blaine places a finger on Kurt's lips, bringing his babbling to a halt.

"Shhh. Kurt. It's ok, slow down, you aren't making sense." Blaine's hand moves to gently stroke Kurt's hair. Kurt smiles at him, the familiar gesture calming him.

"I met up with Sebastian again, after the whole Black and White performance was done." Kurt's voice is slower this time, more deliberate.

"Kurt, why?" Blaine's tone is incredulous. "He's crazy, _why_ would you go see him?"

"Blaine, I told you I was really, _really_ mad. I needed to inform his sluttiness that despite giving him back the tape I was not, in fact, over his criminal acts." Kurt's voice gains strength as he continues. "I met him in that stupid parking garage and kind of screamed at him for a while." Blaine smiles fondly at the idea, completely unaware of what's coming next.

"I wish I had seen it." Kurt ducks his head to Blaine's chest, trying to stop the tears he knows are about to come. He takes a final deep breath before he blurts out the ending

"He kissed me, Blaine. He fucking trapped against the concrete wall and stuck his tongue down my throat." Suddenly Blaine understands. He understands why Kurt is sobbing and strangely harsh language he's using. "And then he called me and, fuck I wasn't supposed to tell you. And it was a million times worse than Karofsky because he wanted it to hurt me."

Blaine's hands slide from Kurt's hair to around his shoulders, pulling him even closer. They lie like that, pressed chest to chest, for a moment, Blaine trying his best to contain the mixture of guilt and rage that is building in his stomach. He can't stop the feeling that this is somehow his fault. Kurt was trying to get revenge for his sake, there had to be some way that he could have stopped this.

"Blaine?" Kurt's voice is raspy thanks to the sheer volume of tears he's shed.

"Mhmm?" Blaine doesn't trust himself to speak. He's certain that it would lead to a tirade and a screaming match and probably a murder charge, none of which Kurt would appreciate.

"This is not your fault. It is all on the fucking meerkat whore." Kurt knows the insult isn't clever, but just uttering it makes him feel a hundred times better.

"I know. I wish you'd told me sooner, though. I wouldn't have kissed you if I knew it was going to bother you. " Blaine's tone is apologetic and that's all it takes to set Kurt off again.

He sobs against Blaine's chest for a second before whispering. "I know."

They stay like that for a minute, Kurt appreciating the smell of Blaine and the feeling of just being held before the sound of Kurt's phone goes off. The realization that despite their current situation it is most decidedly a school day hits them both at once.

"Shit." Kurt rockets out of bed, practically leaping to where his clothes are folded on the chair. "Rachel." He calls to Blaine before answering the call, pressing the phone to his ear. Blaine looks over at the clock, swearing when he realizes that it is well into second period.

Once Kurt hangs up the phone they both scramble around the room, dressing for school in record time. The fact that Kurt has enough clothing in Blaine's room that getting dressed is not a problem does not escape his notice. He latches on to it as a small victory.

* * *

><p>Sebastian spends first period mentally kicking himself. He'd screamed out the same name three times the night before and it was not the name of the man he'd been fucking. Instead it had been a name he'd never said with anything but disdain, Kurt. Fuck.<p>

* * *

><p>While Blaine drives them to school, quickly, but still well within acceptable laws, Kurt scrolls through his phone, checking the text messages. There are nine from the Glee kids who are in his first period class, wondering where he is. Rachel and Mercedes' messages both sound genuinely concerned, but Santana's text, predictably, implies that Blaine's dick is currently in his ass. There's also a message each from Sam and Finn, warning him that Finn's lie had not been well received. The last message on his phone makes his heart beat faster, panic rushing through him before he even reads the words. Sebastian.<p>

* * *

><p>AN: And thus tumblrland exploded into spoilers and pictures of Matt Bomer. It was a terrifying sight. Also amazingly awesome. And Somebody that I Used to Know. But not by Puck, which is what I wanted times ten million. Still Blaine was my second choice and I know I am going to actually sob when it happens because that song just gets to me.<p>

In other news all of the bedroom stuff took about a bajillion years longer than I expected it too. I was kind of planning on getting through to like Cough Syrup, but then they talked and Kurt cried and this instead. Next chapter is On My Way so Sebastian is actually back and evil and it'll be fun. The more you review the faster we get the fun of evil Sebastian.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sebastian: Hate sex is still on the table**

**Sebastian: Actually I like the sound of you against a table**

Kurt looks over the message, a sickening mixture of dread and embarrassment pooling in his stomach. He contemplates, for a brief moment, telling Blaine the rest. He thinks about reading the message aloud, debates continuing his story to the part where Sebastian called him, the threats that he'd made. But Sebastian had, obviously, also considered that, sending a third message flickering across the screen as a reminder.

**Sebastian: And don't even think about inviting poor, blushing Blainers, his one eye is not good enough to watch. Plus I just can't stand jealousy**

Kurt squirms in his seat, a blush flashing across his face as Blaine turns onto the school's street. He watches Blaine pull into the parking lot and slide the car into a parking space. His eyes flick to the clock before they return to Blaine's face. And then he sees his eyes. Eyes which are currently staring back at Kurt, faint lines of worry etched across his face. Kurt flashes him a weak grin, begging his face not to betray him for once. Blaine smiles back at him, confusion evident through the grin.

Kurt's eyes drift back to the clock, they have 10 minutes before the start of third period, just long enough that Kurt cannot justify rushing off. He shivers briefly in his seat, painfully aware that normally they'd be ecstatic for ten minutes alone. He's can feel Blaine's eyes, aware of the questions behind that look.

Kurt presses back against his seat once, taking a deep breath to steady himself, before leaning over the armrest and pressing his lips gently against Blaine's. The kiss is chaste, only lasting for a second before he pulls away. Kurt can see Blaine's eyes close at the contact. He instinctively leans in to the kiss, exactly the same way he has for every other one they've shared over the past 11 months. But then Kurt is gone, the door slamming behind him as he walks towards the halls of McKinley.

He makes it through the double doors before the tears start streaming. He quietly wipes them off his cheeks as he walks to his locker; his other hand balled into a fist around his cell phone. Half of him hopes that Blaine will follow him and shake the truth out of him. The other half is terrified of just that possibility. But he doesn't, he stays in the car, confusion mixing with tentative happiness rolling off of him.

So Kurt walks to his locker alone. The emptiness of the hallway is strangely freeing. He is alone in the hallways of McKinley and he isn't afraid, none of the old bullies touch him anymore. He is four months from escaping any influence they have ever had. He stands tall as he walks, shoulders back and chin forward.

And then he walks by Blaine locker and the guilt hits him like a wave. His knees almost crumple with the weight of it, the nausea and fear returning full force. He'd kissed Blaine because of Sebastian; it's as if that gives him power over them. It means something. It makes him feel dirty. It makes him feel like Sebastian's cloying hold is wrenching its way into his relationship. It also makes him nauseous.

He throws up three times before he makes it to his locker, the feel of a foreign tongue a phantom sensation, throwing up a barrier around him. He almost makes it to third period before the need to scrub every inch of his skin overcomes him.

He stands in the parking lot waiting for the cab, his face dry. He can't even bring himself to cry anymore.

* * *

><p>Sebastian doesn't realize he's waiting for a reply until Thad texts him about something mundane. His whole body jolts as he reaches for the phone. He isn't disappointed when he reads it, though, disappointment makes it seem like he cares.<p>

* * *

><p>"You wanna tell me what happened last night, or am I asking Finn?" Burt's tone was calmly accusatory, he clearly had a pretty good idea of what had happened and was waiting, and probably hoping, for Kurt to prove him wrong. Kurt shifts uncomfortably on the couch, the last time his father had sat him down like this had ended in the infamous talk and he could already see this conversation ending just as badly.<p>

"I slept over at Mercedes' house." Kurt stares at the floor as he speaks, cheeks tinged red with a blush.

"So Finn said. Are you going to tell me the truth, now? I know I may not be the smartest guy, but when the school calls me to tell me you skipped the whole day of school…" Burt trails off, giving Kurt an opportunity to save himself from worse trouble.

"Dad, I-I." Kurt isn't sure what to say. Admitting he was at Blaine's implies a lot of things. Things that, ordinarily, he wouldn't want to admit because that wasn't the sort of thing you tell your father, but now they weren't even true.

"I'm listening Kurt." Burt is looking at him expectantly, one eyebrow slightly raised. He's standing in front of where Kurt is seated on the couch, the blush growing on his cheeks.

"I was…" Kurt pauses taking a deep breath before the rest of the words rush out in a whirl, "at Blaine's, but we were just sleeping, I promise. Dad I hadn't seen him in weeks." He carefully avoids mentioning that he could have seen Blaine. That Blaine had offered to see him but he had been avoiding Blaine. And that the reason for that was exactly the same as the reason why all that they'd done is sleep.

"And if you were at Blaine's why was Finn absolutely convinced that you were sleeping at Mercedes'?" Burt's voice is slightly amused sounding, like it's all he can do to hold back a laugh at Kurt's scrambling. Kurt's face is, on the other hand, splattered with guilt.

"Dad, it was his idea, he and Rachel had this stupid plan and I swear I was going to come home. But I promise I was sleeping. We just forgot it was a school night." He'd forgotten because he'd been so caught up in crying, but that is something else he'd rather not share with his father.

"Relax kid. You're grounded for lying. But I'm not going to beat you up about it. You're going to New York in the fall, you're almost 18. I trust you." Burt sits down on the couch ruffling Kurt's hair just to annoy him. Kurt huffs angrily and stands up, escaping before his father attempts to continue the conversation. "But Kurt," Kurt looks back from where he's standing in the doorway. "You're still grounded for a week, Finn and Sam too." Kurt nods his understanding before rushing up the stairs.

Once in his room he scrolls through his phone again, willing himself to delete the message from Sebastian. Reading it over causes a flicker of panic to work its way down his spine but he can't quite bring himself to press the final button.

Suddenly the phone vibrates, causing Kurt to nearly drop it on his face. He opens the new message, the now familiar number filling his stomach with dread.

**Sebastian: Ignoring me, princess?**

He doesn't reply, doesn't throw the phone across the room, doesn't scream. He barely even moves. He drops the phone to the pillow beside him and takes a deep breath, fear coursing through his body and making him shiver, a single tear squeezing down his cheek.

* * *

><p>Sebastian is restless as he waits for Kurt's reply. He watches it as he suffers through dinner with his parents. He's patiently waiting while he finishes his assignments. When Kurt doesn't reply by the time he shuts off his light he is displeased. People do not keep him waiting and they certainly do not ignore him.<p>

* * *

><p>Kurt accepts Rachel's invitation to the Lima Bean both because the stupidity of the wedding is the only thing that truly takes his mind of Sebastian and because it is the only reason his father will let him out of the house. He hasn't spoken to Blaine in days beyond a few hasty texts and it is frying his nerves more than he would care to admit.<p>

He's so caught up in convincing Rachel how ridiculous she's being that the sheer number of times that he has run into Sebastian in those very seats doesn't even cross his mind.

Until somewhere halfway through his thirteenth attempt to just get Rachel to wait he's suddenly there. Imposing and a good deal more real than even a phone call could convey.

"Oh look, if it isn't a young Barbra Streisand and an old Betty White. Where's gay Cyclops? Still trying to stumble his way in?" Sebastian doesn't seem to have lost any sleep over their history. His smile is as obnoxiously bright and condescending as ever.

"We can't come here anymore." Kurt is trying for levity, praying that Rachel won't notice the way he's shifting in his seat or the looks he's giving Sebastian out of the corner of his eye.

"Rachel, I brought an engagement gift for you." Sebastian continues, smile never moving an inch. He hands Rachel an envelope, ordinary enough save for the bow. Kurt watches, no idea what to expect, as Rachel pulls out a picture of what is unmistakably an attempt at a naked Finn Hudson.

Suddenly they are both full of exclamations and their hands are flying everywhere, both doing their best to hide Finn's junk. Once his hand is securely in place their attention shifts back to Sebastian.

"That is-that is photoshopped, his thing is not that small or…brown." Rachel's exclamation is exactly as horrified as Kurt feels.

"And he could never fit into those pumps." Kurt seizes on the only thing he can think of to say. The only thing that is relevant without revealing _everything_ to Rachel.

"Just think from now until eternity, every time someone googles Finn Hudson they'll be treated to that and dozens just like it." This is a Sebastian Kurt is familiar with. The cool, calculated tone is exactly the voice he'd used on the phone, the syllables clipped a little shorter, the grin shifting from merely cocky to full-blown egotistical.

"What do you want Sebastian?" Rachel's voice is resigned. A strange contrast to the bubbly bride to be Kurt had been sitting with before.

"I want a guaranteed regionals win. So I want you to drop out. You're going to get Asian Bird Flu or whatever Tina Blowin'-Wang just had." Kurt can see the enjoyment playing across his face as he speaks. The realization that at least on some level he enjoys this making Kurt's skin crawl.

"But that is show choir terrorism." Rachel Berry and her dramatics are back and, to Kurt's mind, surprisingly accurate.

"You give a bad name to the entire gay community." Kurt spits out the words, holding back the second half. The half he wants to scream in Sebastian's face. You are a disgrace because of the kiss. And the threats. And all the time you spent trying to get in Blaine's pants. But he leaves it at that. The rest hanging heavy in the air.

"And you give the gay community cutting edge fashion that's usually only seen on Puerto Rican pride floats." Sebastian's retort is easy, almost practiced seeming.

"I'm sorry I didn't hear you, I was distracted by your giant horse teeth." Kurt can't help the low blow. Hoping it will convey everything that his silence has failed to. Hoping it will make Sebastian just go away.

"You have 24 hours to drop out, Rachel, or I press the upload button." Sebastian is utterly unfazed, repeating his ultimatum before stalking off, seeming to vanish into the bad Lima decor. Once he's sure he's gone Kurt tries to go back to his coffee, tries to coerce Rachel out of the wedding. But the only thing he can think of is the feeling of Sebastian's stupid mouth on his.

* * *

><p>Sebastian gets a text from Nick, its ordinary enough, just a reminder about a project they're doing for biology. But it isn't a text he wants, the subject matter and the sender far too ordinary, so he throws the phone at the wall. The screen shatters, the messages unreadable.<p>

* * *

><p>Kurt cannot for the life of him, think of a reason why Rachel would choose to give Finn the picture here, in front of the entire Glee club, but they have been witness to every other development in the twisted relationship, so it is, in a way, fitting.<p>

Finn has been staring at the picture, his face slowly morphing between confusing and anger, for five minutes when he seems to suddenly make up his mind.

"That's it, I'm done, I'm leaving this classroom and I'm going to beat that Sebastian kid's ass." Finn is on his feet, storming towards the door to make good on his threats.

"Finn, chill." Mr Schuster's voice is as calm as ever.

"No, I'm not gonna chill, I'm done chilling." Finn shout rings out, overpowering the efforts of his teacher to calm him down.

"The official show choir rule book states that any real or perceived threat of violence vandalism or humiliation will be met with a swift and unquestioned disqualification of the threatening party's team with extreme prejudice. It's right here: Page 72 Bylaw 15 Section 6 Article 44." Artie rolls into the room, the book clasped in his hand, a look of determination, as if what he's found matters on his face.

"Guys I contacted the headmaster of Dalton." Will speaks again, still trying to instill calmness in his students.

"Like you did when Sebastian almost blinded me? What did they do then? The same thing as they are going to do now, nothing." Blaine's anger is palpable. Kurt has spent months tuning himself into ever word that Blaine says; he can practically feel the anger rolling off of him.

"None of this matters now anyways, we're not going to let him beat us like this, I'm going to perform at regionals." Rachel returns the subject to herself and Kurt tunes out. He wants to care about regionals, wants Rachel to perform, even, somewhere in the back of his mind, recognizes that her talent will play a role in securing their victory. But through all that he doesn't want her to compete. He wants Rachel to listen to Sebastian, wants to warn her what he is capable of. He also wants them to lose because then Sebastian will have won and can finally leave him alone.

* * *

><p>Sebastian paces, his mind wandering, thoughts of a Regionals trophy interspersed with imagined replies from Kurt. He's completed the fifteenth cycle of his bedroom (each one just different enough that he does not wear down the carpet) when a call echoes up the stairs, stopping him in his tracks.<p>

* * *

><p>Kurt follows Blaine when he storms out of Glee club, anger still written in every line of his body. Blaine shakes him off, and Kurt quietly acquiesces leaving him to practice alone. The next day Blaine calls him to the auditorium. Kurt nervously comes, unsure of what to expect.<p>

When he realizes that Blaine is still coursing with anger he tries to be comforting, pushing all of his own issues aside.

"Are you ok?" He asks, watching the way Blaine is pacing. "You seemed upset. You know if Sebastian is-" Kurt stops his own shudder before it starts. He can deal with this. He can move on.

"Forget about Sebastian." Blaine snaps back, causing Kurt to recoil. He's trying to forget. He'd forget everything in an instant if he could. "I'm not mad at you; I just don't want to waste any more time on him." Blaine seems to realize what he's said, backpedaling quickly, an apology hinted at in his actions and expression if not his words. "I want to focus on winning. I've got a new song I want to try out. The theme for regionals is inspiration. I think this fits the bill, you want to hear it?"

Kurt nods slightly, settling onto a school on stage to watch. The music fills the room and Kurt's breath catches in his throat. He's heard Blaine play this song a few times over the past few weeks and it is hardly inspirational.

_Life's too short to even care at all._

Blaine's voice fills the auditorium, full of rage and hurt. The song has the sort of power that none of Blaine's hundred solos with the Warblers had managed to convey, the emotion behind it hitting Kurt full force. He listens, sitting there on the stool, the flare of anger at Blaine melting away, leaving only a seething rage at Sebastian and all he'd taken from them.

_One more spoon of cough syrup now, whoa._

When Blaine finished Kurt is on his feet instantly, arms wrapping themselves around Blaine's neck.

"It's going to be ok, Blaine. He can't hurt us anymore; everything is going to get better." Kurt whispers into Blaine's hair, hands gently stroking down his boyfriend's back, completely unaware of how much worse things are about to get.

* * *

><p>AN: This chapter, especially the first scene and the Sebastian parts were <em>hard<em> to write. My brain was just a melting puddle of goo, no words sprouted forth. The mass of crazy spoilers that was last week did not help. FLF, however, did. I am convinced that Anderbros are the best to write to.


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